Apparatus for converting hydrocarbon oils



7 April 28, 1925. 1,535,178

R. T. POLLOCK APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING HYDROCARBON OILS Filed Feb. 16. 1920 densiug means, in i E'atented Apr, 2%, 'ihmil uuireo stares ROBERT T. EOLLOCK, F BOSTON, MASSACEIUSETTS, TO UNIVERSAL OIL IRODUGTS COMPANY, 01* CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATIONOF SOUTH DAKOTA.

MKABAT'US BOB CDZNVERTING HYDROGBRBO'N OILS.

application flied February 16, 1920. Serial No. 358,900.

To all 1072 am it may concern:

Be it known that I, llonnnr T. PoLLooK, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Converting hydrocarbon Oils, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improven'lents in an apparatus for convertin hydrocarbon oils and relates more particu arly to an ap paratus for separating the heavier from the lighter oils after the cracking of the oils.

Among the salient objects of this inven- W tion are to provide anexpaneion chamber which furnishes a largeexpansiou area and one which quickly lesxens the velocity of the gaseous vapor, thereby erniitting the heavy oils to condenseand co lect therein; to pro- 0 vide a single expansion chamber of a size that will permit the collecting of a considerable quantity of heavy residuum which will supply a liquid for retaining in suspension the precipitated fixed carbon instead of its being deposited in a relatively dry state upon the inner surface of the expansion chamber, a'iactor of importance in the cleaning of the expansion chamber; to provide a collecting reservoir in which coniderable quantities 39 of gases andvapor may accumulate. and one from which the ligl'iter condensable gases assing off tothc condenser will be more uniform in character; to provide a single expansion chamber or reservoir which is easily 5 cleaned, and in general to provide an apparatus of the character referred to.

In-the drawings: Fig. 1 is a side view of the expansion chamber showing inlet and drawo'ti leads 0 with parts broken away. Fig. 2 IS an end view or the construction shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 1 have shown in detail two Views of an expansion chamber which is to be interposed in the vapor line of an oil still. This vapor chamber may be used in combination with any type of still wherethe hydrocarbon oils are heated to a cracking temperature, directed to an expansionzone in which a portion of-the cracked hydrocarbons are condensed and the vapors passed on from this expansion zone to a suit aoie condenser. I have purposely omitted the furnace with its craclriir none and con- 1;. the that that they by a valve 4 supplies the means of drawing oi? this residuum from time to time. To gether with this residuum which stands in the expansion tubeis precipitated from time to time, a quantity of fixed carbon which is held in suspension in the heavy residuum. The fact that there is a considerable quantity of residual oil at all times in the expansion chamber reduces to a minimum the possibility of the fixed carbon which is precipitated in .the cracking process from settling upon the inner surface of the ex ansion chamber. This is a very important actor, as the collection of carbon within the expansion zone of oil stills, produces numerous difficulties. Mostimportant among these are the reduction oi? the cracking taking place in the oil, the absorption of heat and the clogging of the expansion tubes and vapor lines.

At either end of the chamber are suppliedtwo cleaning plates 5 and 6 which are readily removable and open a large aperture in either end of the chamber, furnishing an easy means of cleaning the interior. The gaseous vapors rise through the vapor line 7 through the connection 8 and to the condensing zone through the line 9. A second- "ary drawoif pipe 10 returns any condensate of a considerable a;asntity at the residual oil in one reservoir whichholds in suspension the precipitated carbon. This, together withthe quick and accessible cleaning features, combine a very efiicient construction and one which may be readily adapted to any type of-still.

I claim as my invention:

1. An expansion chamber of the character described, comprising an inclined'elongated. vapor chamber, an inlet pipe leading thereto near one end for introducmg oil at a crackus ing from said chamber at the opposite end of ing temperature to said chamber, a residuum drawoif pipe leading from the vapor chamber,a vapor outlet from said chamber said residuum drawofi' pipe and vapor outlet leadsa1d chamber to t e inlet pipe, the condensible gases and percipitatcd carbon accuinmulatin in said chamber flowing into the inclined end thereof and being of its greatest depth adjacent the oil inlet, and being removed through said residuum discharge pipe at the opposite end of said chamber.

2. An expansion chamber, comprising an elongated expansion receptacle occupying means a longitudinal inclined position, means for feeding oil to said chamber at its inclined end, a vapor discharge from said chamber at the o posite end thereof, a residuum discharge From the chamber-leading from the lower part thereof adjacent the vapor out let, said chamber being adapted to retain unvaporized residue consisting of liquid oil and precipitated carbon contained therein, said residue being of its greatest depth adjacent the oil inlet to the chamber.

3. An expansion chamber of the character described, coznprisinggan elongated vessel longitudinally inclined whereby one end occupies a position substantially lower than the other end thereof, means for introducing oil 'to the lower end of said chamber, vapor and residuum discharges from the opposite end thereof, said chamber being adapted to hold unvaporizcd risidue containing precipitated carbon of a greater depth-at the lower end of the chamber than at the residuum dis- -1rharge.

ROBERT 'r PoLLooK. 

